Sucha Singh Chhotepur

Sucha Singh Chhotepur is a Punjab politician, born at Dhariwal in 1953 (Wikipedia). His career has been spent moving between parties. The Tribune noted in February 2022 that he had been an Independent and had joined the Akali Dal, Congress and, in 2014, the Aam Aadmi Party, where he became a close aide of Arvind Kejriwal. It called him a two-time legislator.

Wikipedia is the only source opened for the early part of the record. It says he was elected sarpanch of Chhotepur in 1975 and won Dhariwal in 1985. He served as health and tourism minister under Surjit Singh Barnala and, Wikipedia says, resigned to protest government actions at the Golden Temple. He won Dhariwal again in 2002 as an Independent. He joined Congress in 2009 and lost Dhariwal as an Independent in 2012.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the 2016 removal

He was AAP's Punjab convener from 29 August 2014 to 26 August 2016. On 26 August 2016 the party removed him, and The Quint reported it as a sacking, though its headline said suspension. The allegation was that he took money for party tickets. A video clip, described as a purported sting, was said to show him taking cash, and it had been shown to Kejriwal earlier that month. Twenty-one Punjab AAP leaders, including MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh, had written to Kejriwal asking for his removal. Chhotepur said the party was conspiring against him, that friends in the party had conspired, and that it was unfortunate his deputy had filmed the video. He had earlier asked the party to make the clip public so he could answer it (The Quint). The sources opened do not report any finding on the allegation.

Wikipedia says he then founded the Apna Punjab Party, which contested 78 seats in 2017, lost all its deposits and won 0.24 per cent of the vote, and was dissolved on 16 January 2022.

Back to the Akali Dal

Wikipedia says he joined the Shiromani Akali Dal on 9 December 2021, and The Tribune reported him as its candidate at Batala in February 2022, a seat it called not one of his traditional ones. Wikipedia says he lost Batala to Amansher Singh of AAP. It now lists him with Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit); the sources opened give no date for that move.

Key moments

• 1985 to 1990 and 2002 to 2007: MLA for Dhariwal (Wikipedia).
• 2014: joins AAP.
• 26 August 2016: removed as AAP's Punjab convener.
• 9 December 2021: joins the Akali Dal.
• 2022: loses Batala.

How he is read. He is a politician whose record the press tells mainly through his changes of party and the 2016 allegation, which he said was a conspiracy.